Enlightenment
by October Raspberry
Summary: Tenten found her life unfair, so she sets off to Kirigakure to find a purpose to her life. With Neji as her escort and the Konoha gang trailing after her, things could get pretty hectic.
1. Chapter 1

**Enlightenment **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Obviously.**

**Enjoy!**

Tenten should be jealous of many people in her life. She had always dreamed of becoming a great ninja like Tsunade, but Sakura took that chance away. It's not that Tenten was not a great ninja, she was very skilled with weaponry, but she was the one who wanted to train under Tsunade. And instead, Sakura got to do it all because she asked. The only reason Tsunade accepted was probably because of her genjutsu skills, and her skill at chakra controlling, but, hell. If Tenten knew all she had to do was simply _ask_, she would have sent a request for Tsunade long before she even step foot in the village. Of course, Tenten knew that asking was the way to get Tsunade's attention, but she wanted to prove herself first, to make herself known, so Tsunade could see that she was worthy of her time, so she could know it would not be a waste to train her. But Sakura, with practically no hard work or experience at all, had managed to get Tsunade to train her just because she had a tough few weeks.

It seemed rather unfair to Tenten, but she did not hate Sakura. In fact, she liked her. They hung out whenever they could. Sometimes when they were sent out from missions, the first thing they did when they got back would be to meet each other to exchange a few jutsus. Sometimes they would just go to Ichiraku ramen to talk, and sometimes, when all the other girls were free, they would have a sleepover and gossip. Tenten knew it was a bad habit, and that renowned kunoichi should not have slumber parties, but she could not help it. She liked to take a break from the ninja world, and if having something as childish as having a sleepover with her girlfriends, then so be it.

And then there was Ino, the perfect picture of beauty. She was statuesque and just simply perfect. And although Tenten wasn't all that ugly herself, more boys chose Ino than they chose her. Not that it bothered her in any way, most of the time she wasn't even interested, but it kind of sucked to know that they would rather pick someone else over her.

Then there was Hinata, the gently, shy heiress. She knew she had no reason to be jealous of Hinata. Tenten liked who she was, spunky, sometimes loud, and someone who spoke her mind, while Hinata was the exact opposite, although she did loosen up a bit when she was around with people she knew. But the place where she lives is a mansion, for a crying out loud! Honestly, who would not want to live in a mansion?

She knew that her jealousy was completely childish, selfish, and not to mention unhealthy, but she could not help but notice these things. She was human after all and when others around her had so much, and she barely had anything that she wanted, how could she _not_ notice these things. Her friends had looks, money, brains, special training...

Tenten was pretty, but not gorgeous like Ino. Her parents weren't poor, but not rich like Hinata's. She was not as smart as Sakura, but she was not dumb either. Tenten wanted to distinguish herself by being an unforgettable ninja, but the special training she hoped to receive went to Sakura.

Tenten's friends seemed to have it all figured out, and that was what probably bothered Tenten the most. Sakura knew what she wanted to pursue as a ninja. Sure, Tenten loved weaponry, but she had wanted another specialty, something more _powerful_. Ino was bound to find a loving husband sooner or later, have kids and settle down. Was that what Tenten wanted? Stability? She just did not know. Hinata accepted who she was. She accepted her shyness, her stuttering, and although she was trying to do something about it she knew that it would be a while before she broke out of her shell, before she blossomed into a beautiful flower. But she accepted the wait. She could wait patiently for something to happen, and Tenten could not. She wished she had Hinata's patience. She wished she could have her whole future planned out.

It was like Tenten was fighting turmoil inside of her. She had no idea what her future held in store. She was the kind of person that wanted to know what would happen before it actually happened. She did not necessarily need to know the details, but she wanted some kind of idea of what her future held in store for her.

Tenten fought this battle every day. She wondered if she could turn herself into a completely new person, but that would just be lying to herself. Even if the world saw what she wanted them to see, she knew the truth inside. The truth that kept her up at night. The truth that caused her to go into a depression.

Lee was the first person to notice Tenten's depression. When he approached Tenten about it, she waved him off. Even if she wanted to tell Lee the truth, what could she say? That her depression originated from longing, jealousy, and the need to know the future? What would Lee think of her? It would be another reason for people to call her pathetic, another reason to pity her, and that was the last thing Tenten wanted.

However, her condition worsened. She began to shut herself off. Gai was the next one to notice and Tenten did not know what to do. She needed to get away from the Hidden Leaf Village, at least for a while, to get her priorities straight and her jealousy all sorted out-her future all sorted out. But how could she leave the Hidden Leaf Village without an explanation, how could she put her life on hold for Kami knows how long until she figured out what she wanted from her life? What would she tell her friends? Where would she even go?

She made up her mind to take it one step at a time. Firstly, she needed to figure out a way to convince Tsunade to let her leave for a while. Then Tenten would take the rest as it came. The thing she was most afraid of was the outcome of her journey. Would she be successful in finding a meaningful purpose to her life? Or would the constant reminder that she was just _there, _not part of anything special, haunt her forever?

She went to Tsunade right after she decided on her explanation. She had not involved her parents in any of her intentions. She doubted they even noticed her depression so she did not think they would understand. She chose the way of the ninja; however they were not ninjas and strongly advised against it. They did not like the violence the danger that came with being a ninja. They labeled themselves as pacifists.

She was eighteen now, though. She was a big girl perfectly capable of making her own decisions. This decision was in her best interest, after all.

As she approached Tsunade's office, she was very confident in the decision she was making. She would wonder how her friends would take the news but she would not stick around to find out. She would leave as soon as Tsunade gave her permission to. However, when she came back, she was not sure she would be welcomed back with open arms. But it was something she would have to deal with. It was either her return or her departure.

She knocked on the door and heard a 'come in' from the other side. She entered quickly, ready to get going. She had actually already packed, her bags ready at her door. She was sure Tsunade would let her go. There would not be any reason for her to deny her request.

"Lady Tsunade," Tenten began. "I have a request. I wish to leave the village for a period of time."

Tsunade was seated with her chin propped up against the back of her hands, leaning on the desk. Tenten saw her eyes narrow a bit, and she stayed in that position for a few moments pondering Tenten's strange request. She wondered why she wanted to leave the village and wasted no time asking her.

"Well, I wish to see my biological parents in the Hidden Mist Village."

Tenten knew she was adopted since she was a child. She was the one that insisted on not having a last name, because her adoptive parents' surname was not hers, and some signed papers could do nothing to change that. Her adoptive parents were great and she had not intended even looking for her biological parents at all since they abandoned her. But the wanting to visit her biological parents was the most perfect excuse she could find.

Tsunade seemed to consider this. She was suspicious at first, being the Fifth Hokage, she was not stupid. She asked herself why Tenten waited all this time to find out about her biological parents and then asked her question aloud. Fortunately, Tenten prepared herself for any questions Tsunade might have thrown at her.

"I wasn't ready enough to face them before. I thought they would deny my existence like they did eighteen years ago. But I want to confront them now to know why they didn't want to keep me."

Tenten hoped that this touchy answer reached out to Tsunade. This would be the only chance she got. If she asked again to leave the village under terms not related to missions, Tsunade would definitely smell something fishy and would probably never let Tenten leave the village again. But Tsunade would not let Tenten go without knowing all of the details first.

"How do you know they're in the Hidden Mist?" Tsunade inquired.

"My adoptive parents told me. That's where they went to adopt me."

"Well, that was eighteen years ago. They could have moved."

Tenten was prepared for this question, too.

"Yes, they could've. But I bet they didn't move out of the Hidden Mist. If they moved out of their last home, I could easily track them down to their new one."

Tsunade considered this for a moment and decided to give in. The pour soul just wanted to see her biological parents and there was nothing wrong with that. She was the Hokage and she was expected to promote peace and happiness in the village. Denying Tenten's request of making peace with her past would send out a wrong message. Every request she received also had effects on her reputation. She had to be very careful in what she did. Which is why she was so reluctant to let her go. If word got out that she approved this request she was sure that more and more people would want to leave the village. Of course they had to have an excuse, and proof of it, but she risked having lots of villagers leave. They could get attacked or ambushed, or held for interrogation by enemy villages. There were so many factors to consider when granting somebody permission to leave the village. What if someone attacked Tenten? Sure, she could fend for herself but what if she was outnumbered?

"How much time are we talking about here? Weeks, months, years?"

That was the only question Tenten did not know. How long would it be until her depression ended, until she felt comfortable enough to set foot in the village knowing that she would never have to face such emotions ever again. Months? Years? She quickly thought up a response.

"Well, I'd like to spend at least on of my birthday's with them. But I turned eighteen four months ago. Is it possible to ask for an eight month leave? I mean, I haven't seen them for eighteen years, and compared to eighteen years, eight months isn't that long of a time."

"It is if you're away from the village." Tsunade replied.

Tenten knew that it was not going to be easy to convince Tsunade, but the lady would not budge. She thought that all of her plans would go down the drain, that she would be stuck with her feelings forever. What was the cause of her feelings, anyways? She had never felt them before. She thought perhaps it was because she turned eighteen. Now she was fully responsible for herself, for her life. But what did she want to do with the remainder of her life? She wanted to do something so special that would leave a good mark on the village. She wanted to be remembered as an extraordinary ninja, not just a normal one. The idea that she was growing up certainly took its toll on her. Growing up like a whole bunch of other people who nobody remembered, who were just simply there, who were just parts of the bigger picture unsettled Tenten.

Tsunade saw the distress on her face and sighed.

"Okay," She said, "You can go search for your parents. Once you've located them, send me a messenger bird. I want to know that you arrived there safely."

Tenten's face beamed with happiness and joy like it had not for months. She was so amazed and grateful that Tsunade would let her go, because truthfully, she felt sort of guilty that she was lying to the Hokage. She really did not intend to spend eight months with the parents that abandoned her all those years ago. She had always known that someday she would meet her biological parents, whether she wanted to or not, but all she planned was to give them a quick visit. The rest of the time she would dedicate to herself.

"But Tenten, have you considered the possibility that your parents won't accept you into their home? If they ask you to leave, you must come back to the village." Tsunade said.

"Yes, I realize that. Thank you, Lady Tsunade."

Tenten was heading for the door when Tsunade's voice made her halt.

"Tenten, I do realize that this time is for you and your parents, _if _they accept you. But I want to make sure you're safe for every part of your journey. That's why you'll have an escort."

Tenten stared at her in shock. This was something Tenten would not have ever factored into the equation. An escort? Did Tsunade think she was so weak that she needed an escort? How was she going to deal with her problems if a frigging escort expected her to stay with her parents twenty-four/seven? She was about to object when Tsunade held up her hand signaling her to wait.

"Now Tenten, don't get mad. I'm sure you're perfectly capable of protecting yourself, and I promise you your escort won't get into any matters regarding your family."

Tsunade could see anger radiating from every cell of Tenten's being, and a hint of despair in her eyes. However, she was sure that this was the best course of action. Tenten held valuable information on the village, not crucial, but she still knew some things that enemy villages would be better off not knowing. And the village came first. There was always the possibility of an ambush, and even though Tenten could handle two strong opponents by herself simultaneously, how could she possibly defend herself if she was outnumbered? Tenten was also a strong kunoichi that a lot of the village people respected. If Kami forbid she died, her loss would affect a lot of the people around her. It would take a toll on all of her close friends and most importantly, her Team. It would take a toll on Tsunade, as well.

"But, Lady Tsu-" Tenten began before the Hokage cut her off.

"Tenten, you know I'm a very stubborn woman and once I've made up my mind I seldom change it. This is my final decision. Respect it or I will deny your request altogether."

Tenten took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She realized that this was not as bad as she had originally thought. She did not have to talk to her escort at all. She did not have to give him or her day by day reports. It did limit her to staying around the parts where her biological parents lived, but that was okay. She would check herself in to the nicest hotel there and reflect upon her life. Being away from about everyone she knew would clear her mind; give her a new perspective on everything. She would spend a whole eight months just to find herself. That was the sole purpose of the journey.

However, it might seem weird to the escort for her not to be staying in her parents' house, but she could just say that they do not have an extra room or something of the sort. Hell, if her escort asked she did not even have to respond. He or She did not have the right to even ask. Her escort was just a technicality. When Tenten realized that her plans were not thwarted, she asked who the escort would be.

"I haven't thought about it yet. I have a few candidates in mind, but I haven't chosen one yet. He or She will also have to be willing to separate from their families for eight months. On the bad side, I'll be losing two ninja and not just one... When do you plan to head out?"

"Well I wanted to do that a.s.a.p. Today, if possible."

"Today?" Tsunade repeated. "You're in a rush."

"Curiosity, mainly."

"Tsunade, nobody knows that I'm intending to leave. I'd like to keep it that way." Tenten confided.

Tsunade raised her eyebrow.

"Not even your parents?"

"Well, I don't need their permission. I'm not a minor anymore. I'm eighteen. I haven't lived with them for two years."

Tenten had gotten an apartment at the age of sixteen, when missions came pouring down at her like rain. She had to get up early and she often came back late. Living with her parents meant that they would have to know about the missions and that had put an apparent strain on her adoptive mother. She kept thinking that one day Tenten would never come back. It was then when she decided to get an apartment of her own. That way, her mother would not know when she was on missions. That way, she would not stay up awake at night waiting for Tenten to return.

"What about your friends?"

"I'd rather leave them out of it. If they found out the reason why I left they would pity me. Their pity would be the last thing I need."

Tsunade just sighed.

"Very well, do as you wish. I still haven't made up my mind about your escort. He or She will be waiting for you at the gates at eight. Does that work for you?"

Tenten nodded and Tsunade waved her hand, meaning that Tenten was dismissed. Tenten exited the office with hope in her mind and heart. Closing Tsunade's door reminded Tenten of the saying: When one door closes, another one opens.

...

Tenten slept fitfully that night. In fact, she had not slept so well in her whole life. She did not know how she slept so sound since she had been suffering from insomnia ever since she became depressed about how unpredictable and unfair life was. She assumed it was because, in a strange way, she was making a new, fresh start. She was determined to find out what she wanted from life during this journey. She wanted to figure it all out just like her friends. So when she walked out of her apartment door with her backpack, when she locked the door, she felt refreshed, more relieved than she had in a very long time.

Of course, she felt a little bit of guilt not telling her parents and friends about her long departure, but this was something she had to do without anyone's knowledge. Without anybody's pity, which she would have surely received if she told her friends where she was headed. Her parents would be devastated. They would probably feel that they were not good enough for her, and that was why Tenten set out to find her biological ones. But they only knew half the truth. They did not know the real reason. And they never would. Tenten would make sure of that.

...

She was headed towards the gate when she remembered that she was to be accompanied by an escort. She felt a little bit uneasy. It was true that she did not have to speak to the escort, but if she did not the escort would find it rude. If he or she found it rude, would he or she tell everyone about Tenten's real journey to get back at her? Was he or she a blabber mouth, an energetic person like Naruto, or quiet and reserved like Shino?

When she approached the gate she received her answers. Every fiber of her being was in shock. _This _was her escort? Tenten made it very clear that she wanted to keep the whole matter as confidential as possible. She assumed that Tsunade at least assigned someone she did not know. But perhaps, maybe, just maybe, this person was not her escort. Maybe her escort was late and the person standing by the gate was just headed out for a mission. She would never know unless she asked.

"What are you doing here?" Tenten asked.

"Why escorting you, of course." Neji replied.

Tenten's heart thudded in her years. What had Tsunade told him? Of course she filled him in of the details regarding his 'mission' but did she tell him why Tenten was leaving? If Tsunade told him it was to meet with her biological parents, Neji would have probably said it was complete bull shit. Of course, Neji would have said it in milder terms. That is, if he wanted to inform the Hokage. Maybe he was just interested in what Tenten's intentions really were that he decided to play along. He knew how she really felt about her biological parents because she had once talked about it. Tenten had once blurted out her true feelings when Naruto got the best of her. He was asking her all types of questions about her biological parents. Tenten assumed that it was because of genuine curiosity since Naruto had no parents, but when she refused to talk, Naruto kept annoying her to the point where she finally snapped and told him what she really thought of them. Neji had been there to witness her outburst.

If he told Tsunade that Tenten told him that she would hate the idea of meeting her biological parents, Tsunade would have asked Tenten some questions. So maybe there was nothing to worry about, since Tsunade was not there. Maybe Neji did tell Tsunade and Tsunade was also playing along to see my true colors. Or maybe, he knew nothing at all. Maybe he was just given the order to escort me. Maybe. Maybe not. Tenten was beginning to get paranoid.

"What's wrong, Tenten?" Neji asked.

Neji thought that she must have seen a ghost with the look that her eyes held. He thought, perhaps, it was because he would be escorting her on an eight month trip Tsunade did not tell him much about. She told him if she wanted the details he should ask Tenten herself, since she was not at particular liberty to do so. Confidentiality, Tsunade had said.

"Um, nothing?" Was all that Tenten said.

It came out more of a question than a reply. How should she react to this? If Neji came along with her, her escort was not a technicality anymore. If Neji came along with her, it would become a huge dilemma for Tenten. Neji was her teammate. He would expect Tenten to introduce him to her parents, would he not? He would expect to spend some time together, as teammates. Perhaps train. However, Tsunade said that my escort would keep his distance. She needed to find out what Neji knew.

"Would you mind telling me what business you have in the Hidden Mist?" He asked, interrupting her train of thought.

Tenten just stared at him. If he was asking this simple question, then he obviously was not informed. Tenten felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. She actually sighed out loud in relief.

"You mean, Tsunade didn't tell you?"

"If she did, I wouldn't be asking you." He replied.

Neji saw a big grin spreading across Tenten's face. He raised an eyebrow in response, wondering what she was up to. Why would Tenten need to go to the Hidden Mist with an escort? She would be fine by herself. Not in an ambush, Tsunade had said. Tsunade's instructions were very vague. She told him that he needed to escort Tenten on an eight month _trip _to the Village Hidden in the Mist. Trip, not mission. But since he was an escort he considered it a mission. She also told him the only reason she was assigning this mission to him was because Tenten would not be able to defend herself in an ambush.

"Well, Neji, I'm actually going to track down my biological parents." Tenten said.

She was waiting for him to respond. So far, he had not moved an inch. Tenten wondered what he would say. He knew how she actually felt about them. She was wondering how she was going to convince him that she had a change of heart despite all those spiteful words she had blurted out during that time when she told Naruto what she really thought of her biological parents.

"Okay," Neji said simply.

Neji remembered her outburst at Ichiraku Ramen that day when Naruto probed for answers regarding her biological parents, though to this day he still did not know why. He remembered the words 'good for nothing low lives', 'my mother was probably a whore that accidentally got pregnant by a drug addict', and 'if they died I'd probably shit on their graves for abandoning me!'

Neji had never seen Tenten lose control like that. He summarized that it was No Man's Land so he never talked to her about it, never said anything to anybody else. Naruto must have gotten the same feeling as he did. That the subject should not be further pursued unless somebody, namely Naruto, wanted to get killed by Tenten's hand. Regardless, Neji did not ask why she had changed her mind. What Tenten wanted to do was her business and her business alone. It was not right for Neji to interfere, to ask questions that he knew Tenten would not be comfortable answering. He saw her sigh of relief when he had not asked about the specifics.

Tenten was beginning to think that Tsunade's choice was not a bad one. Neji would not ask questions. Neji would mind his own business like the proper gentlemen he was. He knew that this was a touchy subject. He did not expect any explanations from her. He was here just to escort her.

"Well let's get going," Tenten said. "It's a three day's journey, after all. The faster the better."

Tenten went out of the gates and started running. As soon as her foot stepped out of the village she felt like amazing. Like nothing could possibly stop her. She felt free and in control of her life for once in a very long time. She vaguely registered Neji's silent footsteps behind her. This was her time. This was her time to shine.

**...**

**Eh, ok, so tell me what you guys think? I didn't really think that the whole jealousy, life being unfair depression suited Tenten, but since she didn't get a lot of onscreen time I thought that I could get away with the idea... **

**I also didn't take my time editing, so if it seems a bit messy I'll apologize. I just wanted to know if it would be worth the time and effort because if you guys don't enjoy it I would totally abandon it :P It's definitely not one of my brightest ideas... I was just looking through some of my word documents and I stumbled across this one. I had totally forgotten about it. The first two pages were already written and I found myself adding on to it... so yeah. **

**I actually have more ideas about nejiten fics, better ones, but if I start numerous stories I'm sure I won't finish any of them. :P **

**So please review and tell me what you think! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Enlightenment**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Okay, before you read on, I just want you guys to know that I have a huge problem with tenses... I apologize for that, but I can't help switching from one form to another :P I should really get a beta reader... but anyways, I hope its not that big of a problem. Oh, and before I forget: I'm obsessed with commas. I don't know why, but I often use them. I've been that way since I was a kid :D So if you find a randomly or wrongly placed comma, I apologize. Like I said, I can't help myself. Okay, so, R&R! Enjoy :) **

Tenten and Neji had been traveling through the forest all day. As the sun was disappearing over the horizon, they decided that they would stop to set up camp under a big oak tree. So far, their time spent traveling together had been quiet. Neji kept to himself while Tenten was absorbed in her own thoughts.

"Tenten, I'm going to go look for some firewood." Neji told her, quickly disappearing out of Tenten's sight.

Tenten sighed as she rolled out their sleeping bags. She then proceeded to take out the canned food that they brought along and a small pot. Once the fire would start, Tenten would pour out the delicious soup and devour it once it was heated. The journey had exhausted her physically, and although she was used to being put under lots of physical strain, she only had so much stamina. She could not wait to curl in her sleeping bag to rest. She could not help but think of how tired she would be in the next two days traveling to the Hidden Mist Village, and how mentally exhausted she would become in the next eight months.

She sighed again. She was really hungry but she could not feed her growling stomach until Neji arrived. She sat on the ground where the fire would start, waiting for Neji's return. Suddenly, Tenten wondered whether she should tell Neji her reasons for wanting to meet with her biological parents. After all, they had been teammates for about six years and in those six years they never kept secrets from one another. Tenten simply did not lie to Neji. It was almost an unspoken rule between them, one that she applied at the start of her genin days.

To this day, she still did not know why.

...

Neji scanned his surroundings cautiously. He was always careful when he was on missions. One mistake could mean the failure of the mission, and although he really could not see how he could fail on this particular mission, a mission was a mission.

He picked up a piece of wood, frowned at it, and threw it back on the ground just like he had done with the last twenty pieces of wood. Apparently, yesterday had rained leaving all wood useless for a fire. He sighed and decided that he was just going to have to pick a branch from a tree. Hopefully, the leaves had provided enough coverage from the rain. The lower branches should do.

He spotted a tree that looked relatively dry and began tearing the branches off it. They were still a bit damp, Neji noticed, with a small frown. However, it was better than nothing. He hoped that the wood would start a fire because he did not want to witness a hungry Tenten...again.

Neji recalled the day when he was training with Tenten. They started at sunrise and they were supposed to finish at lunch time. He had learned a new technique and had not quite gotten the hang of it so he made Tenten stay with him until sunset, which meant her skipping both lunch and dinner. She had complained all day long about her need of food but Neji would simply not have it. Therefore, Tenten had screamed bloody murder at him and lashed out at him with all the remaining kunais that she had left, directed at his blind spot. He tried to block them with his rotation, but he was too late and a few grazed his skin. He had cuts and bruises on his body for months. It was then when Neji learned not to come between Tenten and her 'precious' food.

Neji winced at the memory and quickened his pace toward the big Oak tree where he had left her and she quickly came into his line of visibility. She was sitting on the ground looking up at the sky with a thoughtful, confused expression on her face. Neji frowned. He knew that something was wrong with her, though he did not know what. Perhaps she was stressed out about the meeting she would have with her biological parents. Then he heard her stomach growl and he quickly started making the fire.

He dropped the wood near Tenten and she gave him a small smile.

"Took you long enough," Tenten exclaimed. "I'm starving!"

"Hn," Neji replied.

...

Tenten watched as Neji placed the wood in such a way to resemble a small hut. She wondered if she should tell him the truth. Definitely not the whole truth, but something that explained why she had changed her mind about meeting her biological parents. The absolute truth was she could care less about them, but she needed to make Neji _believe _that visiting her parents what was she really wanted to do. She would tell him that curiosity had gotten the better of her, that everybody deserved a second chance...

She then realized that was a lie, too, and she could not help but feel guilty. She had always confided in Neji and she wondered if he could sense when she was lying. However, if Tenten did not give Neji an explanation, it might make him wonder, might make him assume the wrong things. But if she told him that she truly wanted to meet her biological parents because she had a change of heart, it would be further lying to him on her part. She sighed. What was a girl to do?

"Tenten," Neji said as he kindled the fire. "I think it would be best to heat the soup now."

"Yeah, yeah," Tenten mumbled.

She took the tomato soup and poured it into the pot, which she held over the fire. Tenten thought that this was the most annoying part; staring at food whilst you know you can not have it... yet. She sighed yet again. How many times had she sighed today? Too many for her to count.

She sighed again wondering whether or not she should tell Neji another lie or not. She decided she would because she had to make him believe that was the sole purpose of the journey. What would he think of her when he found out the real truth? He would undoubtedly call her a pathetic, useless kunoichi who let her emotions get the better of her. This lie would save her a lot of trouble when he confronted her with his assumptions of why he actually wanted to visit her parents.

"Hey, Neji," Tenten said preparing her next few sentences in her head to make sure that nothing would come out wrong.

"Hn," Neji simply said.

That one syllable word was used to tell Tenten that Neji was listening. He was sat directly underneath the tree, meditating, something that he would do whenever he found time to.

Tenten thought the best way to start the conversation was when she first uncovered her real feelings to Neji and Naruto that one day.

"Remember that time I said those, erm, not so nice things about my real parents in front of you and Naruto?

Neji opened his eyes and nodded. Because Neji had granted her his full attention, Tenten began to fidget nervously. She thought it would be much easier to discuss this subject with him while he did not look at her with those eyes that seemed to look right into your soul. She was quite comfortable talking to him actually, with only half of his attention directed at her and the other part of it focused on his meditation. But now he had accorded her his full attention, and Tenten suddenly wondered if there was anyway she could backtrack out of this one.

"Yes, I do recall that incident." Neji said.

"Yeah, well, that's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about... You see," Tenten began, but Neji interrupted her by holding his hand up.

"Tenten, you do not owe me an explanation for anything. If you want to visit your biological parents you do not need to tell me the reason for your motives."

Tenten wondered if Neji would ever stop acting like a person worthy of everybody's respect. She had known Neji to be a complete gentleman since she had first met him. If you looked past his cold and emotionless behavior, you would know it was because he minded his own business and respected other's privacy. She wondered if that was because of his own will or because of the way he was raised. After all, an improper Hyuga was a rare one indeed.

"Well, yeah, I kinda have to," Tenten said, pouring the steaming soup into two separate bowls, handing one to Neji.

"You see, Neji, everybody deserves a second chance... And I know that sounds cheesy and all, but it's true."

Tenten took a sip of her soup and Neji did the same. They sat in silence for a while before Tenten continued, grateful that Neji was not interrupting this time around.

"There are lots of people out there, who spend their whole lives not knowing anything about their parents or wanting them back, and I have a chance to meet them and it seems kinda weird not jumping at an opportunity to do so."

Tenten glanced at Neji, knowing that her comment also referred to him in some small amount, because Neji had lost his father. Then there was also Naruto, who had never even met his parents, and Sasuke, whose clan had gotten wiped out. She knew that those three boys would do anything to be with their family members again, while Tenten could care less about hers probably because they were still alive. She knew that they would all jump at the opportunity she had.

"I understand," Neji said wryly.

They both continued to sip their soup in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

...

"Tenten," Somebody muttered. "Wake up."

Tenten felt a strong pair of hands gently shaking her former sleeping form. She opened her eyes a bit and everything around her was dull and hazy. She groaned and rubbed her eyes, sitting up as she did so. She noticed that her back felt stiff from sleeping on the ground with nothing but a piece of fabric to separate the cold, hard ground from her body. No matter how many times she had slept on the ground during missions, she had never gotten used to it. She had always preferred her nice, comfy, soft bed. The thought of her bed alone threatened her eyelids to close once again, and Tenten was appealed to the prospect of sleeping for a few more hours... in her bed, of course.

Suddenly recalling that someone had wakened her up, she glanced at that person and she could not help but scowl. Even though Neji had waken her up gently, which she was grateful for, he still knew that she was not a morning person. That and the fact that for the last few months she had not been sleeping well deepened her frown even more. He could have at least let her to sleep an hour longer... They had eight months to get to the Mist Village for crying out loud.

"Tenten we should head out now," Neji said, more like ordered, while strapping his belongings onto his back.

What were the chances of convincing Neji to wait an hour before they left, anyways? Going on this journey was her idea after all, so she should seem more joyous about it. She decided to give in because they really should be heading out now. The sun was beginning to rise so Tenten guessed it was around six fifteen a.m. If they waited any longer, somebody could attack them. The longer they stayed in one place the more endangered they were. There was no denying Neji's logic.

"Yeah Neji, I'm right behind you."

...

The rest of their journey was pretty uneventful. Only a few words were exchanged between the two teammates, but the silence did not bother them. After knowing each other for so many years they knew when to speak up or when to stay quiet. Besides, the silence was not awkward for any of the two, and nobody bothered to strike up a conversation, anyways. Silence was almost like second nature to Neji, and Tenten decided the less Neji knew the better. She knew that if she spoke with him he would be observant enough to pick up something wrong. It would not take long for a genius like him to figure out that visiting her biological parents was not the only intention she had.

'_Silence is golden,' _Tenten thought.

"We're here," Neji announced, as the gates of the Village Hidden in the Mist came into view.

Tenten did not know whether to feel happiness, relief, or despair when she set her eyes upon the gates. Would she find the answers she was so desperately looking for in the Hidden Mist Village or would she come out of the eight month trip with no progress at all, or even worse? Would Neji find out, would her parents send her away yet again? Even though she did not care for her biological parents she wanted acceptance just like any other human.

She stopped abruptly when two guards came in front of her and Neji. Both guards were taller than Tenten, but not quite as tall as Neji, even though they appeared to be in their late twenties. The two men looked so much alike that Tenten thought they were brothers. They both had short black hair and brown eyes, and their lips were in the shape of a frown.

"State your business here," One of the guards said.

Tenten looked at Neji as he stuck his hand in his pouch. Her eyes widened as she thought that Neji wanted to attack them with a kunai. Both of the guards got a similar impression and positioned themselves in a fighting stance, but they relaxed when they saw the item Neji was holding in his hand: a scroll with the Hokage's stamp on it.

"We're here on a mission. The details, of course, are confidential, and we would be grateful if you would let us through. We would like to find the Mizukage to deliver this scroll ourselves." Neji informed them, in a polite tone.

The two guards exchanged glances for a few moments, probably wondering whether or not they should let Konoha shinobi run freely in their streets. The scroll Neji held firmly in his grasp could be forged, for all they knew. That and the fact that Neji's eyes were cold and unfriendly did not help matters. The glares the guards sent towards Neji and the glares they received from him made Tenten sigh, knowing that she would have to mediate between them.

"We understand that you have no reason to trust us and we simply cannot give you the scroll to deliver to the Mizukage yourselves." Tenten began.

All men turned to look at her wondering where she was going with her statement. All three of them gave her a look that translated to: Thanks for pointing out the obvious.

Tenten ignored their gazes, and her pride for that matter, knowing that starting a full out war with Neji and the guards was not something she would come back alive of.

"What I mean is... Well I think the best solution would be for you to accompany us to the Mizukage's tower. That way you would be rest assured that we won't do anything... Not that we would do anything, anyways." Tenten said.

Cleary Tenten's solution was logical and probably the best one. The guards and Neji would have to see the reason and logic behind her proposition, which they did, surely enough. Neji nodded towards her, not quite pleased, but not that bothered with her solution either. The two guards seemed to find no fault with her suggestion, so pretty soon they found themselves heading to the Mizukage's tower.

Tenten took this opportunity to study her surroundings. The Village looked similar to the village back in Konoha, but there were slight differences. Tenten could not help but notice that the air in Kirigakure was more humid than the one in Konohagakure, and the leafy smell that she had been accustomed to in Konoha was not found here. There was also a slight fog beginning to settle around everything, almost making the place look ghostly, except for the fact that children were running around laughing and playing with each other. The children seemed to make the potentially eerie place, well, not eerie.

"We're here," One of the guards said as they were heading up the stairs leading towards the tower.

The Mizukage's tower was just like the Hokage's tower except that it was slightly smaller. As soon as they reached the top, the guards instructed them to wait outside a big door, no doubt the entrance to the Mizukage's office.

"They're so uptight, don't you think?" Tenten asked Neji as now they were alone.

"Hn," Neji simply replied as he looked at her with those eyes of his.

Tenten knew that if she did not avert her gaze she would be lost in those moon pools of his forever. However, she could not tear her gaze from Neji's. Even since their genin days Tenten would always find herself staring at his eyes. When Neji told her to stop staring at him so intently she had always muttered an apology, obviously embarrassed. She did not want him to think that she was rude for staring at him, so when she spoke to him, she almost always looked at something other than his eyes. Of course, her refusal for eye contact did not go unnoticed by Neji. Nothing did.

Thankfully, the Mizukage's door opened revealing the two guards, saving her from her trance.

"She said you could come in," One of the guards said, anxiously.

"Thank you," Tenten said, smiling at the guards, hoping to gain their trust.

One of the guards attempted to smile back while the other muttered something that sounded like 'No problem.'

Tenten's smile quickly vanished into a thin line. '_Wow, they're really uptight,' _Tenten thought. The guards made room for them to enter the Mizukage's office, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Neji scowl at them. She bit back a smile as they approached the Mizukage. As soon as Tenten and Neji reached her desk they bowed to show their respect.

"So," The auburn haired Mizukage said, leaning on her desk. "What brings Konoha shinobi to Kirigakure?"

"We want to track down two people, if they are still here, that is." Neji replied in a formal tone as he handed the scroll to the Mizukage.

The Mizukage, also known as Mei Terumi, wordlessly read the scroll that Tsunade must have written. Tenten wondered why she had given the scroll to Neji and not herself because it was _her _mission, after all. She assumed it was probably because she had left Tsunade's office hastily, leaving their Hokage no time to even write the scroll, much less hand it to her. Neji had been in the Hokage's office after Tenten to receive his escort mission, and since Tenten had not gone back to the Hokage's tower, Tsunade must have decided to give it to him.

Tenten saw the Mizukage studying her intently with her light green eyes. Tenten felt self conscious under her scrutinizing gaze, but held her ground, showing no fear towards the powerful kunoichi in front of her.

"Very well then," The Mizukage said at last. "I have no reason to deny your request, although how do you plan on finding your parents?"

"I have their last address, Mizukage-sama." Tenten replied as politely as she could.

She looked at Tenten from head to toe again and mumbled something to herself along the lines of 'similarity.' Tenten wanted to ask her what she said, but she thought against it. Firstly, the Mizukage was not talking to Tenten directly, and secondly she did not want to question her since she was in no power to do so. _'Silence is golden.'_ Tenten reminded herself.

"Very well, I will send your Hokage a messenger bird to notify her that you have arrived safely." Mei Terumi said.

Tenten recalled that Tsunade had told _her _to send a messenger bird but she was not going to tell that to the Mizukage. Tsunade might have asked the Mizukage to send her a messenger bird instead in the scroll.

"Thank you, Mizukage-sama." Tenten and Neji replied in unison.

"You are dismissed."

Tenten and Neji bowed politely and exited the room and started walking down the stairs that led to the streets of Kirigakure. The fog had lifted and Tenten turned her face up upwards so she could see the beautiful sunset that adorned the sky and clouds with purple, blue, orange, and red hues. It was a beautiful sight indeed, and she could not remember if Konoha had similar sunsets. She had always been so busy training from dawn till dusk that she had not noticed the beauty of nature before. She frowned and mentally took a note to appreciate the beauties of nature more because when she looked at the sunset she had marveled in its beauty, and a smile had found a way to her face and she felt at peace.

"Tenten," Neji said, snapping her out of her reverie.

"We should find a place to stay for the night. I'm sure you want to visit your parents as soon as possible but it's getting late."

Tenten did not know if there had been a trace of sarcasm in his voice when he said 'I'm sure you want to visit your parents as soon as possible,' but she let it slide and simply nodded.

"Yeah, okay, I'm exhausted from all that traveling."

A smile crept onto Tenten's face when an image of a nice warm bed flooded her brain. She would take a shower and she would succumb to a long lasting slumber, one which Neji would not be able to awaken her from because Tsunade had instructed him to keep his nose out of her business.

She turned to look at Neji and asked him where they would be staying.

"On our way here I saw an Inn." Neji responded.

Tenten saw his mouth open like he wanted to say something else, but when it closed, Tenten frowned. She wanted to know what he had wanted to say. She followed him for a few more moments, probably to the Inn he saw on his way to the tower, when she finally decided to ask him what he wanted to say.

"Eh what did you want to say?" Tenten inquired.

She knew that Neji was polite and would not ask or comment on things which he knew would make her uncomfortable, and she knew that she should probably give him the same courtesy, but curiosity got the better of her.

Neji's eyes locked with hers.

"Nothing important."

Tenten rolled her eyes and left it at that. She knew where she stood and what her limits were.

After a few more minutes of walking in silence they had reached the Inn. It was a normal Inn, not too extravagant looking but not too poor looking. There was a small garden around it but the caretaker of that garden did not seem to care for it because the flowers were wilted and weeds grew everywhere. The building itself was made out of cement, but it did not resemble a prison. To Tenten, it looked almost welcoming in a strange sort of way.

Neji, being the gentleman he was, opened the door for her. Tenten mumbled a 'thank you' to him and the approached the counter to check in. She took in her surroundings and noticed that there was a small and simple chandelier hanging from the ceiling and that red carpeting covered every square inch of the floor.

"Welcome to the Misty Inn!" An old lady, probably in her late fifties, greeted them cheerfully.

"We would like two separate rooms, please." Neji said.

It never bothered Tenten that Neji did all the talking. Contrary to what people know, Tenten was much shyer around strangers than Neji was, however, when in the presence of their friends, the situation was reversed.

"I'm sorry," The lady said. "But there is only one more room available."

"That's quite alright," Neji said, not bothered at the least. "Could you perhaps tell us the directions to the next available Inn?"

The lady looked at him apologetically.

"I'm sorry, deary, but there are no other Inns available. Judging by your forehead protectors, I assume you are not from around here. You see, the Hidden Mist does not attract many tourists, so that's why not many Inns are available. This is the only Inn in at least a twenty-five mile radius.'

Tenten bit back a giggle when the old lady called Neji 'deary'. She had seen his eye twitch, something that Tenten had not seen since Neji first met Gai sensei and Lee. The thought of his eye twitching alone made Tenten want to laugh out loud because it was a rare sight, and not to mention downright weird. However, all amusement in her died down when the lady said that this was the only Inn they could possibly stay at.

Tenten groaned, wondering why fate had to screw with her so much. If they stayed in the same room Neji would surely wake her up and he would surely notice her mood changes. Both Neji and the lady looked at her questioningly, probably wondering why she had groaned. She noticed one of Neji's eyebrows was raised. She had never cared if she had to sleep next to him before, like the previous two nights on their way here, but this was a different matter altogether.

"How many beds are there?" Tenten asked finally.

"One, but its King sized." The lady responded.

Tenten looked at Neji and noticed that he was totally unperturbed about the information. He always hid his emotions so well so she did not actually know if he also had a problem with it.

Tenten sighed, giving in. After all, what choice did they have?

"How much?" Tenten asked.

...

**Okay, so I know this chapter was kind of boring and totally uneventful but it was essential. I know there has not been any romantic interaction between the two 'youthful' love birds, but you might have noticed that I referred to their genin days and to their past and how close they are to one another and how much Tenten respects Neji. **

**It will be a while between any romantic feelings are declared, I'm giving you a heads up on that, but you know what they say, time builds character! But anyways there will be lots of stuff going on now ;) I feel kinda bad ending the chapter just when Neji and Tenten were going to go to sleep together (not in that way!) but suspense is very good. **

**Again, I apologize for any tenses and comma issues.**

**Please review!**


	3. Embarrassment and Inquiry

**Enlightenment**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Otherwise I would be in Japan writing Nejiten scenes to be watched on television. Sadly, I am not able to do that. Fortunately, I still have fanfiction.**

**Enjoy!**

Tenten looked around the room she would probably spend eight months in, with Neji, nonetheless.

The room was decent in size and all in all, it looked pretty cozy. The same red carpet that she saw in the lobby of the Inn also adorned the floor of her room. Pushed up against the cream colored walls was a dresser, along with a small wooden desk. There was a couch and a small TV stood on a small table. Tenten spotted another door that she guessed led to the bathroom. But the thing that drew her attention in the most was the enormous king sized bed in the center of the room. She inwardly groaned at the prospect of having to share a bed with Neji in the same room, and she suddenly felt very aware of his presence.

She watched him as he dropped his belongings on the floor next to the door and she mechanically followed his actions. She would rearrange her things later after a hot, relaxing, steamy shower and a few weeks worth of sleep in that giant bed that suddenly looked very welcoming. Tenten decided that she was actually glad that the bed was as big as it was because it would allow her to distance from Neji as much as possible, given the circumstances.

"Would you like to shower first?" Neji asked politely.

She nodded eagerly, as she dashed towards the door of the bathroom. She felt kind of guilty for not letting Neji shower first because she was most likely to spend hours in the shower thus consuming all of the hot water. Tenten had always spent a long time in the shower because as the water hit her bare skin it felt like her troubles were being washed away into the drain.

The bathroom was a bit small, as to be expected with all bathrooms at Inns, and the floor was tiled. Tenten assumed this was so because of the water that inevitably dripped on the floor. Water on tiles was much easier to clean up than water on carpet.

She looked at her reflection in the rectangular mirror on the wall and flinched. Her eyes were covered with dark circles and strands of her hair were threatening to explode from her buns. Her skin was paler than usual and it had an oily look to it. Her clothes were dirty and ripped in some places from all the traveling. In one simple sentence, she looked like crap.

She began to take her hair out from her buns and watched as her hair cascaded down her shoulders to her waist like a waterfall. She then turned on the shower, making sure it was quite hot before she undressed herself and stepped into it. She sighed in relief as she felt the water wash down the oil and grime from her body.

She stayed standing in the shower for five minutes doing nothing before deciding to wash her hair and body properly. She looked at the shampoo and soap that was perched on the edge of the bathtub and quickly made use of them. They smelled like roses and she could not help but giggle when she realized that Neji would also smell like roses after he showered, if he ever got the chance to, that is. Tenten really did not feel like stepping out of the shower anytime soon.

...

Patiently, Neji waited for Tenten to come out of the shower. Ten minutes had passed since she stepped into the bathroom and he was not the least bit annoyed by waiting. He knew that she was a woman and needed time to herself. Then another ten minutes had passed and all he could do was wait. It was not like he could scream at Tenten to get out of the shower, so he sat on the bed and waited. Another ten minutes had passed and Neji was almost certain that she was almost done. But yet another ten minutes had passed and Neji felt his patience slowly dripping away from him.

It was true that Tenten, being a female, would spend more time in the bathroom than men, but she had to keep in mind that he too had not showered in three days of traveling. He had the courtesy to ask her if she would like to shower first, so it was common sense that she would have the courtesy to keep her time in the shower short. He decided he would give her yet another ten more minutes before telling that it was his turn to use the shower.

And if she refused, so help him God, he would drag her out by force.

...

Tenten estimated that she had spent around forty-five minutes in the bathroom and, knowing that Neji also needed to take a shower, she turned the water off reluctantly.

When she reached out towards the hook on the wall for a towel, she groaned as she realized her mistake. She had hastily made her way to the bathroom to the promising shower that awaited her that she had forgotten to take another set of clothes, much less a towel. She groaned at her idiocy and the current predicament she was in. From the way she saw it, she had two options.

One: She could put her dirty clothes back on, but that was really unappealing to her. They were all dirty and she was pretty sure she would want to take another shower after putting them on, even for just a minute before putting on clean clothes. However, her second option seemed even less unappealing than option number one.

She could ask Neji to give her a towel.

How embarrassing would that be? But both options seemed to be embarrassing, now that Tenten thought about them thoroughly. Even if she put her dirty clothes back on she would have to face Neji, and he would undoubtedly look at her like she had gone crazy for wearing her dirty clothes again. But how was she going to put her clothes on, anyways? She was wet, and she did not have anything to dry herself with.

She decided that option number two would suffice. It would save her a lot of trouble, even though her pride would suffer a great blow. She began to open her mouth, but it was dry and nothing came out.

'_Get a grip, Tenten,' _she told herself.

'_You've faced countless maniac, psychotic, murderous criminal ninjas without hesitating and you can't even ask your own teammate for a towel? And these things happen all the time... I mean, sometimes people forget their towels...'_

Tenten sighed, knowing only _idiots _forgot their towels. In a few moments, she had mustered up some courage and decided that it was now or never.

"Eh, Neji?" She yelled at him.

She heard hurried footsteps approach the door, and she tightened the shower curtain around herself self-consciously. It then dawned on her that she had forgotten to the lock the door, too, but she reassured herself that Neji was not perverted and that he would never barge in on her like that.

"Tenten, are you alright?" He asked, with a faint trace of concern in his voice.

She knew he had nothing to be concerned for, except for her state of mind, but she would also be concerned if the situation was reversed. If Neji spent fifty minutes in a shower and then yelled Tenten's name, she figured that concern would be an emotion she would have.

"Well... I kinda forgot my towel," Tenten said, mumbling.

She wondered if Neji had heard her because she had spoken so softly but she was almost certain that his sharp ears picked up on her words. Her thoughts were confirmed when she heard him chuckle softly. Embarrassment quickly overtook Tenten, and she suddenly thought that option number one was not as bad as she had originally thought.

"I presume you want me to get one for you?"

Tenten could almost _feel _the smirk on his face as he said those words and she wanted to do nothing more than to slap that smirk from his face. He may be a gentleman, but he sure knew how to tease and make people hate him. She heard footsteps retreating from the door, only to come back again. She suddenly wondered how he was going to give her the towel without her being seen.

"Can I come in?" He asked.

Tenten made sure she was completely covered by the shower curtain before sighing.

"Yeah, just leave it by the sink." She said.

She heard the _click _of the door being opened. She let out a breath she did not know she had been holding when the door snapped shut. She stayed enveloped by the shower curtain for a few moments and then started drying herself off with the unusually small towel. She wrapped it around her and she found out it only reached mid thigh. It was then when she realized another ill fortune.

She did not have any clothes. She would have to walk in front of Neji with nothing but a towel on.

...

Neji's patience was wearing thin. He had been amused when Tenten asked him to get her a towel, and even after he exited the door, he was still quite amused. He could only imagine how much pride Tenten had to swallow in order to ask him for that. If he had been in her position, which he would never be, thanks to Tenten, because now every time he would want to take a shower he would be reminded of her forgetting one of the most important things when taking a shower: a towel. Thus, he would always make sure to remember it to avoid being in her predicament. Not that he would have forgotten something as essential as a towel in the first place.

However, his amusement died down when she still would not come out of the bathroom. He could not understand why she would not come out. She had gotten her towel after all, so what was the problem?

He got his answer when he saw a nervous looking Tenten exit the door with nothing but a flimsy towel that did nothing to cover her body.

...

Tenten watched as Neji looked at her, an incredulous expression on his face.

Tenten was completely and utterly ashamed of herself. After all, all of this was her fault. If she would not have rushed so quickly to the bathroom she might have remembered to take a towel and clothes. And this was the punishment for her actions. Standing in front of Neji, almost naked. She felt her face turn different shades of red as she watched Neji entering the bathroom without a word.

Much to Tenten's surprise and horror, he came out of the bathroom in just a few moments. He smirked at her, grabbed a folded towel from the desk and a small bag which Tenten assumed contained his clothes.

"Almost forgot." He said, teasingly.

She felt herself fume on the inside. She knew that he had not forgotten in the first place and the only reason he did that was to embarrass her even further. Well, it worked, because Tenten felt her face heat up and she was sure that she looked as red as a tomato.

It was only when she heard the shower running that she willed herself to forget about what happened because it would only cause her discomfort in the future while being with Neji. She was positively sure that he would never bring this subject back up again, even if he had teased her about it. But what probably bothered her most was the arrogance he had by thinking he could simply tease her like that... without being teased in return. Tenten was not a vengeful person, but she decided that she would get him back for the extra embarrassment he had put her through.

She sighed as she took out her pajamas, dressed, and crawled into the right side of the bed. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

...

"Tenten, wake up," Neji demanded.

She was sleeping so fitfully until a certain pearl eyed man found it right to wake her up. She buried her head in the pillow, pulling the covers closer to her body to form a sort of shell. Tenten believed that Neji would take a hint and leave her alone by the actions she had just performed, but he kept on insisting that she wake up.

"Tenten, I mean it." He said in a serious tone.

"Mmmm," Tenten replied, burying her head further into the pillow.

"You've been asleep for twenty-four hours."

Reluctantly, Tenten turned her head towards Neji, who was clothed in his usual ninja attire. She wanted to remind him that he had no right to wake her up, that Tsunade had instructed him to leave her alone.

"Yeah? So what's another twenty-four hours?" Tenten said, groggily, refusing to get out of bed.

"I thought you wanted to meet your parents as soon as possible." Neji said, eyes narrowing.

Tenten tensed, glad that her eyes were closed, because then he would be able to read every single emotion that they displayed: Confusion, horror, because he had possibly found out the truth. She forced herself to relax, and kept her eyes as emotionless as possible.

"Neji, I haven't seen my parents in eighteen years. Another day worth of waiting isn't that big of a deal, and besides, I have eight months to find them, and I'm sleepy."

...

Neji was rather surprised by her behavior but decided that he would let her be. It was her choice to do what she pleased. He had only wakened her up because he doubted it was healthy for her to sleep for so long.

With nothing to do, he left the Inn and started taking a walk down the streets of Kirigakure. He was surprised to see that it was almost like the Leaf Village and he suddenly wondered what his comrades were doing.

He had gotten pretty close to Naruto since the chuunin exams a few years ago. Naruto had made him discover that he was not actually bound by fate and he was extremely grateful towards him for helping him realize that, not that he would ever admit it. Neji had also developed a respect for Shikamaru, as he was very intelligent and a very good team leader despite his obvious laziness. They often discussed attack tactics and how to use them during battle to gain an advantage. And then there was Sasuke, who had come been welcomed back to the village partly because of his help in the last ninja war, and partly because of Naruto and Sakura's pleading. At first he really did not take interest in Sasuke because he had left the village once and there was no stopping him from doing it again. However, spending time with Naruto meant spending time with Sasuke, which led to training with Sasuke, which led to a mutual respect between Neji and Sasuke.

He continued walking on for five minutes, absorbing his surroundings and etching them into his memory. It was more out of habit than anything else. But he knew if something bad were to happen he would be able to find his way easily through the streets that seemed to twist and turn everywhere he looked.

He had reached what he thought was the center of Kirigakure because there were shops and restaurants everywhere and tons of people rushing from one place to another. He decided that he would take Tenten here to ask about her parents if the address she currently had led to a vacant house or apartment. He also decided that he would take her here to eat because she was most probably hungry, seeing as she had not eaten anything for the past twenty-four hours.

He turned on his heal and walked back to Inn, wondering if Tenten had woken up. He knew that Tenten was anxious about seeing her parents, but staying cooped up in a room sleeping did not solve her problems.

...

_Back in Konoha..._

"What do you mean 'she left'?" Ino asked her bubble gum pink haired friend, her mouth agape.

"I know," Sakura said, "I was shocked too. I asked Tsunade-sama about it but she said the details were confidential."

"Confidential my _ass!_" Ino exclaimed, preparing to go on a full out rant.

"Tenten is one of our best friends and Tsunade knows that, why won't she tell us! Wait a minute... Why didn't Tenten tell us? Do think that this is a super undercover mission that absolutely nobody is supposed to know about?"

"I don't know, Ino," Sakura said, shaking her head. "But I'm also wondering why Tenten didn't tell us. I mean, we always notify each other when we're headed out on missions, so she couldn't have simply forgotten."

"And how long will she be staying, did Tsunade tell you that much?" Ino inquired.

"Yeah," Sakura said, shaking her head again. "Eight months."

"What!" Ino exclaimed, banging her hands on the counter at Ichiraku, which earned her a few curious glances from the cooks and the other occupants there.

"Eight months? And we have no idea where she went, if she's safe? Tsunade _has_ to tell us, Sakura, go ask her yourself. You're her favorite, and this time don't accept 'no' for an answer!"

"Ino," Hinata said, speaking up for the first time. "Tsunade-sama is not at liberty to discuss confidential matters with us even if we are Tenten's best friends. She has a duty to fulfill as Hokage."

Ino sighed as she grasped the logic Hinata presented her with. She guessed that Tsunade was 'off the hook', per se, because Tsunade was just acting like a Hokage should. Although, Ino knew she could not attack or threaten Tsunade in the first place. But that still left Tenten and she had no idea why she had not informed them about her eight month leave of absence. Eight months for a mission is a really long time, so it must be very important and extremely dangerous. Ino suddenly felt deep concern for her friend.

"Did she go alone?" Ino asked.

"Tsunade wouldn't even tell me that much, but I'm sure we'll figure it out by ourselves. We just have to see whose missing." Sakura replied.

Sakura also felt concerned about Tenten's safety, and she asked herself why she would leave in the first place. Missions designed to be executed over long periods of time were usually S-ranked and usually taken care of by Anbu ninjas. Tenten was strong without a doubt, but she still wondered why Tsunade had not sent an Anbu instead of Tenten. Perhaps it was not assigned by Tsunade... Could it be possible that Tenten herself requested a mission? Sakura shook her head. The idea seemed too far fetched.

"Well, actually," Hinata said, speaking up, "Neji also told me that he was going on an eight month escort mission to Kirigakure."

Hinata recalled when Neji had vaguely briefed her about the mission. He said it was a simply escort mission to Kirigakure. He did not give out any other information and Hinata had not asked for any. She knew that a mission that long was supposed to be kept confidential.

"Well that's obviously not a coincidence," Ino muttered.

"Yeah, but we still don't know all the details," Sakura said. "We know for sure that Neji and Tenten left together, but did anyone else go with them? We also know that Neji is an escort, but who is he escorting?"

Hinata thought over the things that she knew in her mind. Tenten and Neji were on an eight month mission together to Kirigakure... Neji was an escort... Tenten had not informed them about her departure which was strangely unusual... Usually Anbu ninja were assigned missions that were required to be executed over a long period of time... Unless someone had specifically called for Tenten. Still, an Anbu should have escorted her, not Neji, her teammate... Unless Tenten somehow needed support from her teammate... But then why Neji and not Lee?

"I don't know, Sakura, but I think this is all very strange..." Hinata said softly.

Sakura knew she had all the facts she needed to come up to a conclusion but she could not quite piece it together. She decided that she would dissect each and every piece of information with the help of her friends. They had a slightly different perspective then her on some things and that could help her shed some light on the things she did not really get.

"Well how about we take things one at a time," Sakura suggested. "So Tenten and Neji set off on a mission to Kirigakure. Neji is the escort although we do not know who he is escorting. Has anybody else left the village that we know of?"

Ino tried to recall if anybody had left but she could not think of anyone. She knew Shikamaru was on a mission to the Hidden Grass Village to gather intelligence but she knew he would return tomorrow. Maybe she could ask him about all of this. He was a genius after all and he could surely help them put the pieces together.

"Chouji and his dad are still here, and so are my dad and all of his friends that I know of. Shikamaru's dad is also here, although Shikamaru is returning from a mission tomorrow... I was thinking that maybe we should ask Shikamaru about these things, you know? He's really smart and he might be able to tell us something that we're missing... I mean Shikamaru is sort of Neji's friend, I've seen them talk on occasions... Maybe Neji told him something." Ino said.

"You're idea is not bad Ino, but the mission is really confidential... I don't think getting a lot of people involved is such a good idea..." Sakura said. "But perhaps you're right... We should ask Neji's friends what they know about his departure. What about you Hinata, anyone missing on your end?"

"Nobody is gone from my family, except Hanabi who is on a D-rank mission with her team. Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino have gone on a mission to the Sand Village to deliver the scroll... But they left a week ago and Tenten left five days ago."

"Well," Sakura said, "Naruto and Kakashi-sensei are here, but Sai has been sent to the Hidden Sound Village for something... Again, the details were confidential so that's all he told me. And I know Lee has been hospitalized on his last mission."

All three girls sighed and they decided that the best course of action would be to hold a 'meeting' with Neji's closest friends: Sasuke, Naruto, and Shikamaru. All six of them would be able to figure out where Tenten and Neji had gone, tomorrow.

They would find the answers they needed, and if they found out that Tenten was in trouble, the three girls would stop at nothing to protect her and get her back safely to the village.

...

"Tenten, you need to wake up now." Neji said.

Tenten sighed as she realized that she would not be able to tell Neji to butt off like she had done the last time. But the bed was just so warm and comforting and soft, and her eyelids were threatening to close again...Before she could succumb to slumber once more she forced herself to sit up. She knew that Neji's suspicions would rise when he figured out her reluctance to start searching for her parents and she could not risk being found out.

"Fine," Tenten mumbled, half asleep half awake.

"Come on, hurry up and get dressed and we'll go out to eat." Neji told her, hoping that the mention of food would wake her up completely.

It did. He watched in amazement as Tenten literally bounced out of the bed at the mention of something to eat. He watched her as she darted towards the bathroom with her bag. A few seconds later of staring at the bathroom door, Tenten came out dressed and presentable.

"Come on, Neji, hurry up, I'm starving!"

...

**...And that's chapter three! After writing about five pages and idea hit me so I slightly altered the plot a bit. As you've noticed, I got the Konoha gang involved! I just had this really cool idea about the girls doing something together... but I won't tell you what because I'm evil and I don't want to spoil the surprise. You'll have to read on to find out!**

**Hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to review!**


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